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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · board · pitch · object · calf · prune · bark · fan

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. prune — to trim
  3. object — a thing
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. row — to paddle
  6. object — an aim
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. row — a line
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pitch — completely
  16. object — to protest
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. prune — to trim
  21. board — to get on
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com